The present invention relates generally to indicating apparatuses for indicating numerals or leters by a plurality number of indicating elements, and more particularly to an indicating apparatus in which indication is made by a plurality number of indicating elements for self-holding their indicated states which are driven sequentially in time-serial or time-division manner.
In general, as an apparatus for indicating numerals or letters, there has been a so-called seven-elements type indicating apparatus, for instance, in which each numeral is indicated by means of seven indicating elements. In the indicating apparatus of this type known heretofore, electric luminous indicating elements such as luminous tube, photodiode, and liquid crystals have been used. The indicating elements of this type maintain their indication states while an indication driving circuit is being supplied with electric current, but, whereupon the indication driving circuit is rendered into a de-energized state, they become non-indication state whereby the indication disappears. That is, the indicating elements of this type have no self-holding capability of maintaining the indicated states thereof. Therefore, in order to maintain the indicated state, the indication driving circuit must be continuously maintained in an energized state. Accordingly, there arise difficulties that the electric power consumed by the indicating apparatus amounts to a large extent, and the life of the indication driving circuit is shortened. Furthermore, the apparatus referred to above is accompanied with difficulties that, in the case where trouble or failure occurs between the power source and the indication driving circuit due to some reasons, the indication disappears whereby the preceding indicated information becomes unknown.
The indicating apparatus, installed in a fuel filling station, for example, for indicating the quantity of fuel supplied to vehicles is relatively bulky. In particular, in a fuel filling station of the type wherein a fuel supply hose is pulled down from the higher position of a structure such as a ceiling, for fuel filling operation, the indicating apparatus is of large type for being easy to see, because it is installed at a higher position. Accordingly, in such a relatively bulky indicating apparatus, the above described difficulties become noticeable in particular.